Improvement in letter-boxes



F. D. BENNETT.

, LETTER-BOX. Na.1 74,340. Pat'ented Feb.i2 9,1876.

Min/[5 55-9. 7 yMrzwa/c projecting flange, b, as shown.

UNITED STATES PATENT FRANCIS D. BENNETT, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A SSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND CHARLES E. BENNETT, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN LETTER-BOXES.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No. 174,340, dated February 29, 1876; application filed December 20, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANCIS D. BENNETT, of Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, .clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a newspaper-box, to be attached to gate-posts or other convenient places, and which will show on the exterior whether anything has been deposited in the box or not, aswill be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front view. Fig. 2 is a section on line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view, with-the flap J down, and Fig. 4 is a section on line 1 3 Fig. 3.

A represents the back or base of my box, on the front side of which, at each end, is secured a metal bar, B, and from each of said bars projects forward a triangular plate, C. The upper ends of the bars B B form sockets,

' in which are inserted pivots a a, formed upon the ends of the lid D at the inner edge, thus hingin g said lid close to the back A. Along the front edge of the lid D is a downward- The lower ends of the bars B B form similar sockets for the insertion of pivots d d, which are formed upon the ends of' the box G. This' box is made triangular in form, with one side open, and the pivots 01 project on a line with the inner edge of the open side. When the box is closed, this open side will be against the back A, and when the lid D is turned down the flange b of the lid catches over the bottom angle of the box and holds it in that position between the two triangular plates C C. When the lid D is raised to put a newspaper in the box, the box G swings forward on its pivots until it rests upon a guard, H, projecting from the base A, and the front side of the box will when the lid is raised the flap will fall down,

and, said flap being painted in a contrasting color, it will indicate the same as the swinging box; or, if desired, both the swinging box and swinging flap may be used, in which case the flap J is to be hinged to the box on a line with the bottom angle thereof.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a letter or newspaper box, the combination of a frame, a box or receptacle hinged or pivoted thereto, and a lid, also hinged to the frame, and holding the box or receptacle in position, and so arranged that by raising the lid the box will fall or turn to disclose a differently-coloredface, for the purposes herein set forth.

2. In a letter or newspaper box, the combination of a swinging box and a swinging flap, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The combination of the base A, crossbars B B, with plates C C, hinged lid D, with flange b, and the swinging'box G, with the swinging flap J and the guard H, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own 1 affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS D. BENNETT.

Witnesses:

GEORGE DANIELS, J. O. BoNNELL.

FFIGE. 

